Anthony Davis is 'CEO of my own business,' so he's taking over his career
This Anthony Davis trade saga just won’t end.
Davis requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans this season, but he remains on the team after the February trade deadline. As you know, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly sent multiple trade packages to New Orleans to acquire the star power forward and pair him LeBron James. Unfortunately, the trade fell through.
So, Davis filmed an episode of James’ HBO show, "The Shop with LeBron James,” over All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. It premiered on Friday and he discussed how he’s taking over his career.
"All the media coverage [is] around me, and now I'm getting a chance to take over my career and say what I want to say and do what I want to do," Davis said on James’ show, via espn.com. "So now you see everybody [saying], 'All right, I see AD changing.' Everybody's telling me, 'You're growing up. It's about time to take care of your business, take care of your career.' So now, as a player, as the CEO of my own business, I've got the power. I'm doing what I want to do and not what somebody tells me to do."
Davis, who will be a free agent in 2020, told the Pelicans in January that he isn’t signing an extension with the team; instead, he wants to play for a championship contender. James and Davis are both represented by Rich Paul, and James said on his show that the narrative around Davis shifted after the trade demand.
"Seven years in the league, nobody's ever said anything,” James said. “No media, no fan, not a fan, not a friend, not nobody's ever said anything negative about AD. But you can tell, when the narrative changed, when you don't do what they want you to do. That's why we've got to continue to control the narrative too and continue to back each other up because they have so many people at the top of these food chains that will control your narrative."
James went on to praise Davis, saying the 25-year-old has been one of the greatest players in the league over the past five years.
“I think now he's starting to see the momentum shift on who he is,” James said.
Now that the NBA trade deadline and All-Star break are over, the Pelicans have Davis on minute restrictions to limit his chances of getting injured. And while Davis is a free agent in 2020, he doesn’t know what’s going to happen next.
"It is tough because you just don't know. I don't know," he said. "I have one year left on contract, so I'm not sure what they're gonna do. Obviously, I stated my intentions. But I did that this year and they [said], 'No, we're going to keep you here.' So for me, it's just not knowing what's going to happen."
Davis, a six-time All-Star, is averaging 27.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks this season.
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